


Tracker

by Fandom_Trash224



Series: Harrna Shuchi and the 473rd [6]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, oh god how the fuck do i tag this, tracker wants to look out for his brother, verb has Opinions and Not Everyone Likes That
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-31 23:40:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20248549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandom_Trash224/pseuds/Fandom_Trash224
Summary: “Okay, but seriously,” Tracker leaned in slightly, almost as if he had managed to sober up slightly “You’re that pissed off about being assigned to a Jedi? Where else did you think you’d go?”Verb didn’t answer, instead taking another sip of his drink as his brother watched him critically. Tracker scoffed, shaking his head as he sipped his water.





	Tracker

“You know, just cause you’re on the track to officer training doesn’t mean they’ll let you break the rules.”

1890, age four, nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of his _vod_’s voice. He hadn’t realized anyone had followed him to the supply closet, making sure he had been quiet and unseen by just about everyone, but as soon as he saw who it was, it made sense.

“Hey Tracker,” 1890 said, attempting his best innocent voice “I don’t know what you mean, I was just--”

“I saw one of the other trainers slip you something,” Tracker said, crossing his arms and pouting “If you don’t share it, I’m telling one of the long-necks.”

1890 spluttered for a moment, his heart beating like crazy against his ribcage at the thought of the Kaminoans finding out. Then, glaring at Tracker, sighed and pulled out the sweet treat that he had been given for a job well done by the trainer. Tracker’s eyes lit up, and he quickly snatched it from 1890’s hands before giving half of it back to him. 

“You’re a jerk, you know,” 1890 muttered, taking a bite of the sweetstick “How did you even find me?”

“A good soldier doesn’t reveal his secrets,  _ Verb _ ,” Tracker said, dodging the smack from 1890 at the annoying nickname “I’ll tell you one day, but for now,  _ somebody’s _ gotta keep you in line, and if I’m gonna do that, then I gotta find where you are at all times.”

1890 glared, but didn’t argue. The sweetstick was too sticky to argue around.

~~~

“Well, I guess I  _ have  _ to congratulate you now, since it’s official.”

“Hey Tracker,” Verb said, looking down at the datapad in his hands as he brushed up as best as he could on everything needed for officer training “You know, it doesn’t count when you know where I’ll be.”

Tracker smiled broadly, spreading his hands.

“That, my dear brother, is incorrect. See, that’s one of my many techniques! Easiest one to do. But, seriously, congratulations on officially getting put into officer training. Stars know all our batchmates wish they were you right now.”

“Yeah,” Verb muttered bitterly “I bet they do. Being an officer is a lot better than being cannon fodder.”

“ _ Verb _ !” Tracker hissed in warning “You  _ know _ you’re not supposed to say stuff like that!”

“Yeah, well, I said it. What’re they gonna do? Decommission me for having an opinion?”

“No, they’ll do a  _ lot _ worse for that and you know it,” Tracker said, crossing his arms and dropping his voice to a whisper, “You remember what happened to Winter, right?”

Verb’s jaw clenched and he squeezed his datapad a bit harder than needed as he spoke.

“I am  _ well _ aware of what happened to Winter: She died.”

“No,  _ vod _ , they ‘reconditioned’ her.”

“She’s  _ gone _ , Tracker. They killed her, and now someone else is in her place.”

“Yeah, well that’s gonna happen to you, too. At least, if you don’t keep your opinions to yourself.”

“I’m afraid I can’t make any promises, Tracker,” Verb said, looking down at his datapad again “I won’t do anything stupid enough to get me in major trouble, but since you’re not gonna be allowed to follow me and keep me out of trouble, I’ll  _ try _ to be on my best behavior.”

Tracker sighed heavily, but didn’t press. Verb could tell he knew there was no winning that argument.

~~~

“Well, look what the tooka dragged in,” Tracker announced, his words slurred as he draped himself over Verb, who had been enjoying himself at 79’s until that moment “Verb,  _ vod _ , it’s so good to see you!”

“Of course, out of everyone I know, you’re the first one to find me here,” Verb muttered, jostling his shoulders and causing his brother to very nearly lose his balance “Not in the mood for jokes, Tracker.”

“Aw, you’re no fun,” Tracker huffed, taking a seat beside him at the bar “Who or what shoved the stick up your ass? Officer training? Your new squad? Or is it just a commander trait?”

One glare from Verb had Tracker throwing up his hands in surrender, turning to order some water from the bartender. Verb took the time to order another Utapaun Sinkhole (virgin, of course, he had a big day tomorrow, no matter how much he was not looking forward to it). They sat together in silence, listening to the music and other patrons around them, Tracker stealing glances at Verb until the latter couldn’t take it anymore and slammed his fist on the bartop, glaring at Tracker again.

“What do you  _ want _ , Tracker?” He snapped, startling his batch-brother. Tracker studied Verb for a moment before frowning.

“What I  _ want _ is to know why my brother’s so upset,” Tracker said defensively “Seriously, you look like someone told you you’d be cleaning the ‘fresher for a month.”

“Hmph, I think I’d prefer that to this assignment.” Verb muttered into his glass, bitter and annoyed. Tracker raised an eyebrow, which led Verb to continuing “My new squad and I got my official assignment a couple of hours ago: Jedi General Harrna Shuchi.”

“Ahh,” Tracker crossed his arms, nodding “I see. You’re gonna be the commander directly under a Jedi, like just about every other commander in the army, and you’re angry about it.”

“Oh, shut the hell up, Tracker. You know how I feel about them.”

“Yeah, I am  _ well  _ aware, considering you never shut up about it. I’m still shocked they never sent you in for reconditioning.”

“Yeah, well, I know how to keep my mouth shut, believe it or not,” Verb said “One of the first things they teach you in officer training.”

“Bullshit.”

“It’s true. The full lesson is  _ technically _ ‘shut up and listen to your superior’s orders’, but you know how my hearing can be.”

“Selective?”

“Shut up.”

“Okay, but seriously,” Tracker leaned in slightly, almost as if he had managed to sober up slightly “You’re  _ that  _ pissed off about being assigned to a Jedi? Where else did you think you’d go?”

Verb didn’t answer, instead taking another sip of his drink as his brother watched him critically. Tracker scoffed, shaking his head as he sipped his water.

“You know,” Tracker muttered “For all your talk of hating the Jedi and the Republic, I don’t see you offering many solutions that don’t involve breaking the law or a one-way ticket back to Kamino for ‘fixing’. ‘Sides, your Jedi sounds a hell of a lot nicer than the one I’m under.”

“It shouldn’t be my job to fix the system, and even if it was, I can’t do much. We don’t have rights in about 99% of the galaxy, and that one percent includes 79’s-- Wait,” Verb looked at his brother seriously “What’s this about your general?”

“Eh, the guys a hardass. Practically made for war, but if part of the Jedi code involves protecting people, he does a pretty piss poor job of it. Civilians, soldiers, P.O.W., doesn’t matter. He doesn’t care.”

Verb had to let go of his glass before clenching his shaking fist, anger bubbling in his chest. Tracker already caught on to it, grabbing Verb by his forearms.

“Verb--”

“This isn’t  _ fair _ , dammit!” Verb hissed “You deserve better,  _ we  _ deserve better!”

“Yeah, well, better ain’t coming,  _ vod _ , better to cope with that now than keep waiting for a dream to come true.”

“Dammit, if enough of us just--”

“Just  _ what _ Verb? Turn our backs on the Republic, leaving millions of people to be subjected to the possible tyranny of the Separatists and their Sith leaders?” Tracker’s voice was quiet, but firm and angry, convincing Verb that his brother was more or less completely sober now “Disobey orders, give the Senate  _ more _ reasons to dislike us? Speak our minds and have the Republic turn on the Jedi and Senate, breaking everything out into anarchy? No matter what we do, it’s not gonna matter, Verb! Every option has disastrous results! We’re stuck in this, and the only ways out are either on the battlefield or as a traitor, and if I had to choose, I’d rather go down fighting loyally than as a coward who ran from the people who needed me most.”

“We  _ deserve  _ the right to choose, to have more than just  _ those _ options!”

“Maybe we do, but there’s not much anyone’s going to do about it when it’s more convenient for us to be property than people,” Tracker stood, sliding his army credits to the bartender to pay for his drinks “I’ve accepted my fate, Verb. It’s high time you did, too.”

“Fuck you,” Verb growled “Go fuck off and die like the dog you are, Tracker.”

“After you, Verb. Just make sure you help out your brothers before you try to run off like the coward you are. After all, being loyal to them is the only reason you’ve bothered to stay this long, might as well finish up with that before betraying them all.”

If he could’ve paid for it, he would’ve thrown the now empty glass in front of him at Tracker, but instead, he let out a frustrated noise as he slammed down his own army credits and stormed out ahead of Tracker. 

He had a squad to prep for tomorrow’s meeting, he didn’t have time to deal with his brother.

~~~

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d almost say you actually  _ enjoy _ your Jedi’s company.”

Verb whirled around to punch whoever had snuck up on him, only to be greeted with the face of his brother Tracker. The fist stopped inches from Tracker’s face, which now bore the expression of someone who had not been expecting that reaction. 

“ _ Stars _ , is that any way to greet your brother, Verb?”

“It is when the last time we spoke involved us telling the other to fuck off and die.”

“Ah yes, that incident,” Track spread his hands apologetically “Well, I forgive you for that, so don’t worry about it--”

“I wasn’t--”

“But still, that Jedi of yours? Two things: one, holy  _ hell _ she’s short, you sure they didn’t give you a padawan?”

“Positive,” Verb said, crossing his arms and laughing slightly “She’s too damn good to be a padawan.”

“Alright, and two, you guys actually get along, don’t you? Like, actually get along?”

“Yes, we do,” Verb said defensively “We have similar opinions and viewpoints. Even made an arrangement based on it.”

“An  _ arrangement _ ? Verb, you’re not--”

“Get your mind out of the gutter, no,” Verb said, giving his brother an annoyed glare “It’s a long story, and possibly considered mildly illegal, so I can’t tell you about it.”

“Aw, and here I was hoping you’d finally managed to stay out of trouble with your opinions!”

“Oh, shut up and buy me a drink at 79’s. Only fair after you insinuated…  _ that _ .”

“Oh, like you wouldn’t fuck a Jedi.”

“I tolerate General Shuchi, and that’s it. Not everybody wants to fuck a Jedi, Tracker. You’re in a minority, here.”

“Whatever you say,  _ vod _ .”

~~~

“You son of a  _ bitch _ ,” Tracker hissed down at Verb, who was pinned beneath the former “You son of a  _ bitch _ , you fucking  _ coward _ , they thought you were  _ dead _ ! You fucking  _ traitor _ !”

Verb didn’t deny any of the claims this time, didn’t even look angry or shocked that they found him. He looked almost…  _ resigned _ . That only pissed off Tracker even more. Pissed him off so much that his fists were connecting with Verb’s face faster than he could think about it, leaving bruises behind, creating a cut on the commander’s lower lip deep enough to scar. He only stopped when his squadmates pried him off of Verb, hauling them both up and locking bracers around the defector’s wrists.

_ Now he’s resigned himself to his fate. Now he’s given up. Of all the times,  _ ** _now_ ** _ . _

He didn’t even care when he watched Verb be shipped out for reconditioning. Tracker had warned Verb, and Verb didn’t listen until it was too late. Damn him,  _ damn him _ .    
Tracker wiped away the tears before they reached his pillow.  _ Damn them both _ .

**Author's Note:**

> i am so sorry guys
> 
> star wars tumblr: clonesdeservebetter.tumblr.com
> 
> kudos and comments appreciated!


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